Despite a wintery Sunday, the Atlas Coal Mine is ecstatic with the turnout at this year’s Haunted Coal Mine.
    Over the past two weekends, over 1,200 visitors braved the Big and Little Boos.
    “It’s up from last year and one of our better years. I expect we raised over $10,000, which goes back to the restoration of the tipple,” said Jay Russell, with the Atlas Coal Mine.
    The first weekend was quite strong. Just under 400 people attended the Big Boo on the evening of October 19 and a further 300 the following afternoon. The numbers swelled even more on October 26 for the second, and final, Big Boo, with over 600 visitors. The weather for them could not have been better.

The Haunted Coal Mine was as scary as ever, delighting over 1,200 visitors this year, despite some early snow on Sunday, October 27. Organizers are already thinking of new ways to frighten people next year for the tenth anniversary of the Haunted Coal Mine.

    “The last one was perfect. We had people coming right up to 9 o’clock,” said Russell. “I’ve already put an order in for excellent weather next year.”
    However, things turned snowy the next day for the final Little Boo and 71 people turned up.
    “It was quite good, but we were disappointed in the weather on Sunday. Our numbers that day were lower than we would’ve liked, but higher than what we expected!” said Russell. “The plus side was that it gave us a lot more time to spend with each person and have some fun.”
    Not only did the numbers attest to the success of the Haunted Coal Mine, the comments showed the scares were as good, if not better, than last year.
    “When the kids go by and say ‘that was scary!’, I know we did a good job. There were other comments, saying they had a great time and it was scarier than before,” said Russell.
    The Haunted Coal Mine is the Atlas’ largest fundraising event. The money raised goes towards maintaining and restoring the site.
    “This is our single biggest fundraising activity we do each year and it couldn’t be done without the volunteers. We had around 70 volunteers and what a great, dedicated group of people to take time out of their lives and scare people,” said Russell.
    Even though the Haunted Coal Mine is over, organizers are already thinking ahead to next year. They are cooking up something big in light of the Haunted Mine’s tenth anniversary.
    “Next year will be our tenth year. We’ve been very lucky this has been so successful,” said Russell. “We have some evil cunning going to happen next year.”

    Students at Drumheller Valley Secondary School (DVSS) are aiming to ensure their school remains the place to be.
    Since the opening of school this year, the Friends of Rachel Club FOR, has been working hard to ensure students at the school feel included and stamp out bullying.

Students at Drumheller Valley Secondary School are doing their part to end bullying and help everyone feel welcome at school. The Friends of Rachel Club, which is entering its third year, has held a number of events at the school, including a speed meeting, where students had a chance to meet each other in rapid succession.

    “I think they’ve made a huge impact in terms of student morale, participation, and acceptance. There’s a great deal of compassion from the members of the FOR Club and some outstanding leadership,” said principal Curtis LaPierre.
    Students are also noticing a change in the atmosphere of the school.
    “There are so many problems in the world with bullying, especially on Facebook. We let students know we’re here to help. I think our school is pretty good. For example, if a junior high student is bullied,we’ll have senior high members intervene. It helps to have that older role model,” said Madison Colberg, co-president of the FOR Club.
    The FOR Club has held a number of events, including a welcoming for international students  with a tour around the valley and a speed meeting event, where students quickly cycled through and introduced themselves to one another.
    “It was awesome. It was great to see everyone interacting and have a lot of smiles. People met a lot of new friends, which was really nice to see,” said Chelsey Botros, co-president of the FOR Club.
    They also have a number of events planned throughout the year, including outreach to other schools.
    “We have a whole bunch of cool things planned to bring up the spirit, energy, and excitement at the school. I’m really excited to go out and speak about why bullying is wrong and why people should help when someone is being bullied,” said Lauren Main, vice president of the club.
    In addition to events, FOR Club members intervene when there is bullying and will try to help students feel included. For example, if a student is alone at lunch, members will join them.
    “People go through bad times, but you don’t want school to be one of them. You want to know your peers support you,” said Main. “That’s what FOR Club is all about; accepting everyone.”

    The Raptors were back in action last weekend. Some big wins ensured the various teams remained at or near the top of their respective divisions.
    This weekend was a tough one for the Bertram Drilling/Sports Room Midget Raptors, with their first two losses of the season. At the moment, the team is sitting in fourth of the Midget Tier 3 Division with 10 points.
    The losses were dealt by two Tier 1 teams.

Landon Brown, right, leads the charge during the Midget Raptors game against Olds on Sunday. The Raptors started off strong with a 3-1 lead until late in the second when Olds turned up the heat. The Midget Raptors are currently in fourth place with 10 points and only several points from first.

    On Saturday, they travelled to High River and lost to Foothills 10-3. The Raptors got out of the gate early with two goals by Reagan Burrows 25 seconds in and a second five minutes later. However, Foothills came back to dominate the remainder of the game.
    The following day, the Midget Raptors were at home, where they lost 6-3 to the Tier 1 team out of Olds. The Raptors held on to a 3-1 lead until late in the second, then Olds took off with the rest of the game.
    The Boston Pizza/Western Chev Bantam Raptors also had some crossover games with other tiers. On Saturday, they faced a Tier 2 team out of Rocky Mountain House, but were defeated 7-1.
    The next day, the Bantams were in Cochrane, where they lost 5-3. The two were tied 1-1 after the first, but Cochrane managed to rack up four goals by 11:46 into the second. Dillan Witt and Ewan MacFadden gave the Raptors two more goals, but the Raptors couldn’t catch up.
    The losses are their first of the season. The Bantam Raptors were moved up to the Bantam Tier 2 Division after spending the first part of the season playing in Tier 3.
    The NGC PeeWee Raptors, which have been playing in Tier 3, are continuing to dominate their division. Over the weekend, they edged out Brooks 4-3 and Medicine Hat 5-4 to keep top spot in their division. In Medicine Hat, Noah Salvatore ensured a Raptors win by scoring a hat-trick.
    The NGC Tier 6 PeeWee Raptors had a good weekend when they crushed Okotoks 9-1. The game was tied 1-1 after the first period, but the Raptors turned up the heat in the second and third. Ryan Fleming earned a hat-trick during the game and two assists.
    The Yavis Tier 4 Atom Raptors earned their first win of the season with a 5-4 effort over Strathmore. The Raptors got off to a 2-0 lead early in the game, but Strathmore came back to tie things up by the end of the period.
    Strathmore racked up two more goals early in the second and held a 4-2 lead into the third.
    The Raptors bounced back and scored two quick goals early in the third to tie the game again. They then got a lucky break when Strathmore was called for a body checking penalty. Kyle Gridley then scored on the powerplay to give the Raptors the win.
    The Encana Tier 6 Atom Raptors suffered a tough loss over the weekend against Kneehill, but remain tied for first place in their division.
    The Canalta Tier 3 Novice Raptors racked up their second win on Sunday. They dominated Strathmore 9-3. Colin Black faced a flurry of 28 shots on net by Strathmore, but held firm in the Raptors net. Grayden Ewing racked up three goals and assists in the game, while Emanuel Clark contributed four of the Raptors goals.
    The McDonalds Tier 6 Novice Raptors remain firmly on top of their division with a 10-2 win over Carstairs on Saturday. Kerric Chambers earned five points in the game, with two goals and three assists, while Connor Prieston-Johnston led in goals with five.

    The St. Anthony’s Saints Junior B-Team were young and strong as they cruised to the end of their season.
    The only other league team that had a junior B squad this season was Hanna, and they met on a couple of occasions. However, they were able to participate in a number of tournaments to learn the game and hone their skills.

The St. Anthony’s Junior B Saints had a busy season of tournament play. They are (back; l-r) Cassidy LeBlanc, coach Darci Paarup,  and Destiny Morse, with (front; l-r) Emily Wright, Kaitlyn Paarup, Jackie Ranger, Cayden Zacharuk and Charlotte Jones.

    “They improved much more than I could have foreseen,” said Darci Paarup who coached the young squad. “They showed up for everything and they all had an excellent attitude, which is something you don’t always see on a team.”
    The top moment for the team was a third place finish at a tournament in Duchess.
    “This was a highlight for them, because everywhere we went we were the only full rookie team,” said Paarup.
    They also saw tournament action in Three Hills and in Okotoks. Last week they finished up their season playing in Hanna.
    The team is made up of Grade 6 and 7 players, meaning they will have a strong squad returning next season.

    The Titans are one step closer on the road to the provincial championship after putting Canmore away in convincing fashion.
    It has been almost exactly a year since the Titans and Canmore have faced each other on the field. And while the two teams are familiar with how each other plays, Coach Ken Fournier said Canmore had a few surprises.

The Titans’ swarming defense kept Canmore to just two touchdowns as they cruised to a 49-14 win. The Titans advance to the Southern Alberta final to take on Willow Creek School in Claresholm this Saturday.

    “They were a bit different than last year. They ran some good plays, but we took the game away after the first quarter,” said Fournier.
    In fact, Canmore came out strong and in the first quarter, the two teams were tied. By halftime however, the Titans were up 27-7. They went on to win 49-14.
    Fournier said offensively Gage Berdahl and Steven Robertson had great game and connected for nearly 200 yards in passing.
    “All of our offensive scoring came from different players,” said Fournier, he also pointed great games by Justin Schinnour and Joey Samoleski on defense.
    The post season for the Titans is becoming familiar territory, but nothing they take lightly. This Saturday they are heading to Claresholm to take on Willow Creek School.  A win will clinch a spot in the Provincial final.
    Again, they are a familiar team and coach Fournier has been scouting. He doesn’t foresee many surprises.
    “They definitely have some guys who can make an impact on their offense… we are looking to control that,” said Fournier. “The next game will be a good one. If we can pass them, it will be a good game to prepare us for the final.”
    This same weekend, Holy Rosary of Lloydminster and Cold Lake will be in competition for the Northern Alberta spot in the final.

    The St. Anthony’s Saints junior A girls volleyball team have wrapped up a strong season.
    The team competed in Championship night on November 5 and finished third in their league.
    This comes on the heels of a strong showing at a tournament in Three Hills. There were 16 teams at the tournament and while they were not able to place, a two set win over DVSS was a moral victory for the team.
    “That was a really big deal for the girls,” said coach Kayla Davies.
    The team also won the Sportsmanship Award at the Christ the Redeemer Divisional tournament.
    It was an exciting year for the young team, which only has one grade 9 player. The rest of the squad are in Grade 8, meaning the future of the program looks bright.
    “Next year they will all be Grade 9, which is great, so hopefully they all learned a lot and we can do even better next year,” said Davies.
    “They improved tremendously, I am super proud of all of them.”

The Saints won the Sportsmanship Award at the Christ the Redeemer Divisional tournament. Members of the team are (l-r) Hannah Reed, Payton Zacharuk, Kayla Finkbiner, Olivia Brisebois, Ocean Bossert, Rachel Graf, Anna McGillivray, Samantha Ptashnik and Carmanah Olbrich. Missing is Lizzy Bomford.

    Drumheller RCMP have apprehended two of the three persons responsible for the shocking gunpoint armed robbery at Mac’s Convenience Store on November 6.
    Cruise Donovan, 23 years of age, and brother Chase Donovan, 19 years of age, have been charged under sections 344(b) and 351(2) of the Criminal Code, using a firearm in an armed robbery and wearing a mask with intent to commit a indictable offence.
    The third suspect has been identified as Daylon Ker, 19 years of age. Kerr has been charged with the same offences and is being sought by RCMP.
    “We have arrested two people and charged them. We have a couple more people we are attempting to locate,” said Staff Sergeant Art Hopkins.

    The Donovan brothers will be appearing at Drumheller Provincial Court on Friday, November 22.
    Macs was also the target of a second armed robbery last week. RCMP have identified a possible suspect.
    “We believe we know who it is. It’s going to come down to a photograph lineup to know for sure,” said Hopkins.
    The Drumheller RCMP would like to thank the many persons who provided information leading to these arrests.
    “Virtually the armed robberies, as far as this office is concerned, have been solved,” said Hopkins.

    Anyone with information that could help locate Kerr or otherwise assist in the investigation are asked to call the RCMP at 403-823-7590.

    It was yet another wild weekend for winter weather. The Drumheller area was buried in a thick blanket of snow.
    Starting Friday afternoon, a snowstorm blew in and continued for most of the weekend. Town staff were busy throughout the weekend clearing as much snow as they could.
    “The crew was ready to go. They started as early as possible and worked through the weekend. They were still out until about 6 p.m.  (Sunday) to catch up,” said Allan Kendrick, Director of Infrastructure Services. “We’re still doing a bunch of walks and other areas. To get caught up, it depends on the wind and any more snow.”

Town of Drumheller crews have been out virtually nonstop clearing snow since the Valley was blanketed in snow over the weekend. A winter storm blasted the area starting on Friday, leaving a thick blanket of snow over Drumheller. RCMP responded to six accidents over the weekend, none of which were serious, however.

    The major roads in Drumheller have received plowing and crews are working hard to improve road conditions wherever possible.
    “They are sanding and salting. It doesn’t work too great in that -20 degree (Celsius) range, but if it warms up a little, it should help give more traction for folks,” said Kendrick. “Everywhere we have to be, we try to get there as quickly as possible.”
    The Town of Drumheller plows the major roads in Drumheller and airport as per the 2007 Snow Removal and Ice Control Strategy approved by the council of the day. Residents hoping for their residential road to be cleared will likely not see a plow on their front street.
    Kendrick anticipates a review of the strategy in the near future.
    “We have  service levels with priorities approved by council. Our service levels will be reviewed by council in the near future, so there could be changes there,” said Kendrick.
    Despite the severe weather, the Drumheller RCMP reported few instances of vehicles going off the road.
    “There were a few accidents, but nothing too severe. There was one that had minor injuries,” said Staff Sergeant Art Hopkins.
    Relief may be in sight for the area. Environment Canada is forecasting a sunny remainder of the week and even an dramatic increase in temperature by Sunday, which could see a high of 7 degrees Celsius.

    The sun shines bright around Drumheller, creating one of the best sources for solar power in the world.  
    Starland County is continuing to tap the solar potential of southern Alberta and has consequently become a provincial leader in renewable energy. One of its main initiatives is the construction of solar arrays on farms throughout the county.
    To keep the sun shining on Starland’s energy future, the County is hosting a series of open houses to encourage area farms to hook up to solar power.
    On November 27, 28, and 29, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the County will host open houses at the Munson, Rumsey, and Delia Halls, respectively.
    “These information sessions are to give people an opportunity to come visit with myself and other county representatives about our experience with the practical experience with photovoltaic solar installations. We hope by understanding the simplicity, costs, and benefits of solar people will be interested in becoming engaged in our project.” says Jordan Webber, Starland County Economic Development Officer. “We have funding that can benefit our residents by paying for a portion of a solar installation. We hope that everyone becomes involved at some level with this project.”
    One of the goals of Starland County is to support the installation of 100 kW of solar capacity. The County is well on its way to acheiving that goal.
    “Within this project, we have put in 30 kW, which is three projects. We also have a few more lined up,” said Webber. “Things have been working out great. The guys who have installed already are very happy with how it produces at their farms.”
    The program has farms install a solar array on their property. The energy it produces first helps power the property, then any excess is sold back to the grid. Eventually the array pays for itself and begins to generate a profit.
    “Right now, we’re looking at a 9,500 W system, which we call a 10 kw system, it costs around $40,000. The County pays $3,000 of that,” said Webber. “We’re predicting it would be paid back in about 12 years. Then, there’s probably 20 or more years after that, you’d be earning profits.”
    According to Webber, there is no better time to hook up.
    “It is the right time to get involved in this industry. The costs are as low as they will ever be and power rates continue to go up. We can really start off on a sustainable basis by getting people involved with this technology and generating our own power,” said Webber.
    The first open house will be held at the Munson Community Hall on November 27 at 7 p.m. The following evening, an open house will be held at the  Rumsey Community Hall. The final open house will be held at the Delia Community Hall on November 29.

    On November 18 until November 22 the Big Country Anti Violence Association (BCAVA) will be holding the Annual Red Silhouette Campaign at the Badlands Community Facility.   
On display at the Facility will be life size red silhouettes which are representative of individuals who have lost their lives or have been affected by domestic violence.
    The Red Silhouette Campaign is designed to  send a message to victims that they are not alone and is also referred to as the silent witness project  as they provide a voice to those who can no longer speak for themselves because they lost their lives   to domestic violence and also bear witness to those who are still in abusive relationships that they are  not being forgotten.
    The objectives of this initiative are to create an awareness of domestic violence by sharing information in our communities about the nature   and extent of relationship violence, to promote  action by letting people know there are resources in our communities with people willing to help and to remember people by honoring those who have lost their lives to domestic violence.
    Violence takes on many faces including verbal, physical, sexual, spiritual, emotional and financial abuse. Bullying is a form of abuse that has recently been in the forefront of the news. BCAVA wants to help give a voice to everyone who has been a victim of or is presently being affected by some form of violence.
    The red silhouettes will be on display for the week of November 18-22 and BCAVA would like to invite people to visit. This event brings Domestic Violence to the forefront as we work to empower everyone to help stop violence and support survivors.
    BCAVA looks forward to the spring of 2014 when the unveiling of the Angel’s Corner which will be a permanent location recognizing those who have been impacted by domestic violence. We can all work together to end the silence and stop the violence. If you require additional information please feel free to contact Cindy Stelmaschuk at 403-823-3095 or Cora Bolt at 403-823-1660 or go to www.bcava.com.

    Relief is in store for multipass holders of the Drumheller Aquaplex and Badlands Community Facility (BCF).  
    As of Wednesday, November 20, Aquaplex and multipass holders will have “at least  20 days added to active membership passes in recognition of the service interruptions,” read a press release from the Town of Drumheller.
    At the November 12 meeting of the Committee of the Whole, Town Council directed administration to research options to compensate those who purchased multipasses after numerous complaints.
    “I’ve spoken with a lot of people who were upset. First in relation to the Aquaplex users, because we didn’t give them a lot of notice before closing. Then, I started talking with people who have multipasses and they’re saying the same thing. They might not use the pool a lot, but they have paid for the use of the building and a locker,” said Councillor Tom Zariski.
    The Aquaplex shut its doors on November 4 for a much needed upgrade to its air handling unit. Typically, those who purchased an Aquaplex pass will have their passes extended for the same amount of time the pool is closed.  Aquaplex passes are also being accepted at the BCF.
    However, multipass holders were not given similar consideration. Council asked something to be done.
    “If we close the pool for a couple days to repair something, that’s not a problem and I think people understand that. If you close it for a couple months, when people in good faith have put out a fair amount of money, people need to be compensated,” said Zariski.
    Concerns were raised that failing to compensate multipass users during the closure would lead to those users either not purchasing a multipass or simply forgoing purchasing any pass altogether.
    The Town considered various options to compensate pass holders.Some ideas to compensate multipass holders included extending their passes, offering day passes to friends or family, or discounts upon renewal.
    However, the damage may have already been done. Some multipass holders have already decided to not renew their multipass.
    “When my pass comes up for renewal, I will not be getting a multi-pass again. I will just get a pool pass. It’s just not worth it. It’s not like I can increase my visits to the BCF to compensate for my lost swim times, because I would injure myself. They are different kinds of exercise. Swimming eight times a week is fine. But there is no way I could go to the gym to workout eight plus times a week,” said David Lloyd, a dedicated Aquaplex user. “I can workout at home. I can’t swim at home.”

    The Drumheller Dragons are regaining some momentum, breaking a three game losing streak on Tuesday against the Olds Grizzlys.
    Though the Dragons appeared to be in control of the game, the Grizzlys were with them goal for goal. The game had to be settled in overtime, where the Dragons came away with a 4-3 win.
    The Dragons took control of the game early, in no small part to an interference penalty by Grizzly Ty Mappin a mere 46 seconds in. Mitchell Cook, taking advantage of the powerplay, rushed to the Grizzlys end, through their defence, and rocketed the puck past goalie Ethan Jemieff.

Dallas Smith (left) and Rory Davidson were denied on a big two-on-one opportunity. The Dragons kept up the pressure against the Olds Grizzlys on Tuesday night, but had trouble getting the puck past Grizzlys goalie Ethan Jemieff. The Dragons eventually settled the game with a 4-3 win in overtime.

    Powerplays would end up being the key for the remainder of the night. Of the seven goals scored by both teams, five were during a powerplay.
    The Dragons remained in the driver’s seat for the rest of the game, but Jemieff proved to be a hard nut to crack. In total, the Dragons sent a flurry of 40 shots at him, but Jemieff was able to stop most and reign in any rebound opportunities.
    A closing hand on puck penalty levied against Troy Gedny cost the Dragons the lead and the game was tied at 1-1 before the first period was over.
    The second period remained locked at 1-1.
    In the opening minute of the third, Dakotra Zaharichuk put the Dragons up 2-1, but the Grizzlys responded with a goal of their own after Gedny was sent to the penalty box for kneeing.
    A tripping penalty by the Grizzlys a few minutes later gave the Dragons the edge they needed. Newcomer Tyler Haiste put the Dragons up 3-2.
    From there, the Dragons were poised to win the game. They managed to fight through some penalties, including a harrowing three-man penalty killing situation.
    However, the Grizzlys tied things up again at 17:15 in third. The puck was lobbed high into the air and landed in front of Dragons goalie Jonny Hogue. Hogue lost track of the puck and in the ensuing scramble, the Grizzlys snuck the puck past him.
    The game was finally settled in overtime with a goal from Ethan James, who was awarded the Dragons star of the game.
    The win puts the Dragons back in third place of the AJHL Southern Division and one point behind the Okotoks Oilers. However, things are tight at the moment in the Southern Division, with only five points separating second and seventh place.
    The Dragons are back on home ice on Saturday against the Sherwood Park Crusaders at 7 p.m.

    Like a well-oiled machine the Drumheller Titans rolled their way on to the field, over Holy Rosary and back into the provincial spotlight winning its third championship in as many years.
    Or, in simpler terms, 3-Peat!

The Drumheller Senior Titans brought home their third Tier IV provincial championship in as many years over the weekend. They defeated Holy Rosary of Lloydminster by a dominating 42-18. The championship is the perfect close to yet another powerhouse Titans season. The team will be celebrating the win and season on Sunday at their annual banquet.

    The Titans stood tough winning 42-18. Coach Ken Fournier is proud of the team.
    “The did really well. They were focused in the locker room before the game. They were talking about scenarios; what they had to do, what they had to say to each other, how to react,” said Fournier. “These kids are like a bunch of coaches. They know the game quite well, especially the guys that were there for the three-peat. The have been involved in a lot of football in three years and on the biggest stage, so a big congratulations to them for the things they were able to do on the field.”
    While the Titans were dominant, it wasn’t a cakewalk. In fact, Holy Rosary led in the first quarter for a short time until Jakub St. Jean broke through for the Titans’ first touchdown.
    In the first quarter we came out and took some penalties early and they went up by two,” said Fournier. “It took us a little bit to get going, but once we got a feel for them things started rolling for us.”
    After that, the Titans began their charge. Holy Rosary was able to take away the Titans’ passing game, but on the ground Spencer Fournier, St. Jean and Aiden Enns were able to make gains.
    On the defensive end, Holy Rosary came with a passing game, but the Titans made some adjustments.
    “We let a couple deep balls go which is to be expected. I mean, there is a reason the other team is there in the final, and they can move the ball really well in the air, so we expected to see a few big plays to happen, but we reacted to it,” said Fournier. “I think that is what is good about us playing in quite a few big games over the last few years. These guys learned how to respond in big games.”
    He said while there were some standouts, it was a team effort from offense to defense and special teams who captured the day
    “Everyone stepped in and contributed,” said Fournier.
    With three championships and domination of the playoffs, there have been talks about moving up a tier.
    Teams are typically grouped by school size to make the competition even, however, if they felt it was advantageous a team could move up to the next tier to face larger schools and possibly tougher competition.
    Fournier said this has been considered.
    “What we do now is look a the numbers at the school, look at the future and what is coming up in the program. Moving up a tier is something that has been talked about throughout all levels of our organization,” said Fournier. “Moving up is quite a big process, you have to look at the demographics and decide if that is the best step for the program. If we continue to have strong numbers and the support we have, hat is something we can look at. But if our school population starts to go down or our bantam and peewee teams are struggling, then that is factored in as well.”
    The Titans will be celebrating their season at their annual banquet on Sunday afternoon. 

    One of the Drumheller area’s true cowboys is inviting readers to take a journey into the life of a prairie cowboy.
    Local rancher and farmer Don Howard just finished his autobiography, Under the Cow Patty, and is inviting everyone to take a read.
    The book details his life, adventures, and some of the interesting people he has met over the years.

Don Howard proudly holds his recently finished autobiography, Under the Cow Patty. Howard tells of his life living on the prairies, his involvement in music, the interesting people he’s met, and peppers the book with humorous events. Howard will be at The Drumheller Mail on Friday, November 29, 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., to sign copies of his book.

    “It goes through a little history about our family and I’ve tried to keep some humour in there. Some is our family life as we went along. Other parts are about the people we met. There some not-so-happy times, but mostly happy times. There’s also a chapter in there that’s pure nonsense,” said Howard.
    Music has always been a large part of Howard’s life and much of the book is dedicated to his years of involvement in Drumheller’s musical landscape.
    “Music has been a big part of my life and there’s a long chapter on some of the musicians that have been in the area. I’ve been playing since I was eight years-old. Sometimes it gets intense and other times it slows down and is a bit more sporadic,” said Howard.
    Howard, who is now 74, came up with the idea during the long days in the combine.
    “I’ve always enjoyed autobiographies. I started two years ago, thinking about it on the combine. I thought I had a bit to tell and I've met some interesting people in my life. I started jotting things down, but I left it for awhile. Then I came back to finish it,” said Howard.
    He also chose to write in memory of his daughter-in-law.
    “One of the main reasons I wrote was in memory of Tanya, our daughter-in-law. She was a nurse and instrumental in starting the Relay for Life. In the midst of it, she had a tumour and died, so I wanted to do something for her,” said Howard.
    Howard has been living near Munson since 1944. Throughout the years and many adventures, he’s kept his family farm and ranch going strong.
    “We’re still running some cows and farm a little grain. We’re active with horses and cattle,” said Howard.
    Howard will be at The Drumheller Mail on Friday, November 29, 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., to sign copies of his book and encourages people to stop by, pick up a copy, and chat.
    “I think there are some things that will interest a lot of people. There’s a lot of local people in there, too, especially when it comes to the music,” said Howard. “I’m excited. It’s a good feeling.”

    As hard as players practice and coaches work to develop skills, there would be no basketball season of it weren’t for referees.  
    There will be a beginner referees clinic coming up this Saturday, November 30 at St. Anthony’s School. This is for people interested in officiating basketball for the first time.
    Gavin Makse, who is facilitating the clinic, says there is no cost for the   program and all participants need to bring is some clean, non-marking court shoes, something comfortable to wear on the  court to run in, and an interest in learning.
 He said there would be a classroom session looking at rules and protocols. There will also be an on-court session to learn the mechanics of officiating and signals. The final part of the session will   be on the court, actually officiating a game. Makse says he hopes to have some players there to scrimmage.
    The session runs from 9 a.m.  to 12:30 p.m. and is open to anyone who wants to drop in and try it out.
    To learn more or confirm a space, contact Makse at 403-823-385, ext. 104.

    Students and staff at Drumheller Valley Secondary School are getting ready to host students from across the province next spring.
    From May 11-13, 2014, DVSS will host the annual Alberta Student Leadership Conference.

The Drumheller Valley Secondary School (DVSS) Leaderhip class is busy organizing the 2014 Alberta Student Leadership Conference. It is expected the conference will bring roughly 700 students from all over the province to the Valley from May 11 to 13. Organizers are asking for help to make the conference a success.

    “It’s a three day conference hosting students from all over Alberta. It’s an annual event and we undergo intensive leadership training through different seminars,” said DVSS student Maria Patterson, who is helping to organize the conference.
    Patterson attended last year’s conference and felt it is well worth the effort to bring it to Drumheller.
    “It was great and  they’re always interesting. I learned how to be a better leader and to voice my opinion,” said Patterson.
    Organizers are anticipating Drumheller will be packed with students.
    “Last year, there were about 1,400 students, but this year we’re thinking we’ll get about 700. It really depends on the school’s location,” said DVSS student Kortney Giffin, who is also helping organize.
    The student delegates will be shown the sights and sounds of the Valley.
    “They’ll be seeing our tourist attractions, staying in our hotels, and eating our food. They’ll be taking back a piece of Drumheller when they go home, so hopefully they’ll return with their families,” said Patterson. “It’s a perfect kick-off right before our tourist season hits.”
    Several guest speakers have been lined up so far, including Craig Kielburger, Sabrina Jalees, and Michel Chikwanne.
    To make the conference a success, organizers are asking for help from individuals and businesses in the community. The guest speakers alone cost thousands.
    “We need a lot of community support. Not just monetary donations, we need small things like water bottles and backpacks for the swag bags. We also need food and meals. Because we’re such a small school, we won’t get as much in registration fees, so we need more community support,” said Patterson.
    The community can also support by volunteering.
    “We also need volunteers to help, like with registration, serving food, or supervising the dance,” said DVSS teacher Cindy Karpa.
    Those interested in helping out can call Karpa at 403-823-5171.

    One of Drumheller’s most famous homegrown musicians is coming back to play in front of a hometown crowd.
    On Friday, November 29, Jaydee Bixby will rock the Stampede Barn.
    “Absolutely I’m looking forward to it. I remember playing at the Barn when I had to have my entertainment licence to  get in and play, because they were serving liquor. It’s nice to come back to where you were born and raised to do a show,”  said Bixby.
    “When I was on Canadian Idol, I got so much support from Drumheller. I appreciate getting the opportunity to come back and play for my home town.”

Homegrown country star Jaydee Bixby will be returning to his old stomping grounds on Friday, when he performs at the Stampede Barn. Bixby will be playing material from his new album Work in Progress, as well as a few old favourites. Tickets are available at Sports Room, Gus’ Corner Restaurant, and Drumheller Chrysler.

    Bixby was born and raised in Drumheller. He learned to play guitar from his father and performed with his parents and a family friend in a band called the Bixbys. He later moved to Red Deer and became a national name when performing on the 2007 season of Canadian Idol.
    Since then, he’s released several albums. His latest, Work in Progress, was released in August.
    “I started writing it about four years ago in Nashville. A lot of the songs I’d start writing, then I’d step away from, because I’d done all I could do with them at the time. In between, I did another tour and released another CD. Then I came back to it,” said Bixby.
    “These are all tunes I started, stopped, went back, and finished. Some of them are four years in the making.”
    Much of his concert will include his latest material, with some old favourites peppered throughout.
    “I’ve got a lot of new songs I’ve written myself, so it’s kind of a whole new show. It’s one thing to play songs someone has written, but it feels great to play something that started out as an idea in your head,” said Bixby.
    Tickets are still available at Sports Room, Gus’ Corner Restaurant, and Drumheller Chrysler.
    “We have enough material to go into the wee hours of the morning,” said Bixby.

    The annual Passion Play Founders Banquet, held to honour Founders, and to thank donors who supported the Passion Play over the past year, faced a challenge on Saturday, November 16. 
    Saturday turned out to be the stormiest day of November, and Vance Neudorf, Passion Play General Manager, remained uncertain until the last minute whether to cancel the event.   However, when guests showed up from Edmonton Vance knew that there was no turning back.   
    Despite the stormy day, thirty six people enjoyed the afternoon presentations and great banquet.  

The Canadian Badlands Passion Play honoured some of those who donated land to the Passion Play during its annual founders dinner on Saturday, November 16. At the dinner were (l-r) Bob and Tilly Llewellyn, LaVerne Erickson, Passion Play general manager Vance Neudorf and Stan and  Dorothy Solberg.

    With the Passion Play moving into its 21st performance season, its Board of Directors has undertaken to look back annually and keep its founding story alive.   Each year some of those instrumental in founding the Play are honored with a gift and with four lifetime Passion Play passes so that they can see the Plays and bring friends to enjoy the fruits of their labors.
    This year’s honored guests who were designated ‘Founders’ were those who supplied the land for the Passion Play and Ski Hill site: Bob and Tilly Llewellyn, and Stan and Dorothy Solberg.   These were the only Founders to make it through the storm.  Other Founders recognized in absentia were the mill owners who donated the lumber for site development:  Barry Mjolsness, Spray Lake Sawmills of Cochrane, and Bob and Ken Vanderwell of Vanderwell Contractors of Slave Lake.
    Also recognized in absentia were John and Irene Kohut, Hi-Way 9 Express, who hauled the lumber free of charge.  
    A welcome addition to this year’s festivities was the presentation of the beautiful Alberta Pride Alto Award, that recognizes the Canadian Badlands Passion Play for its contribution to the Alberta Tourism Industry as a landmark Alberta attraction.   This award was won two weeks ago at the annual Alberta Tourism Industry conference in Banff.

    What began as a simple community outreach event has morphed into one of the most important Christmas traditions in Drumheller.

Drumheller Valley Secondary School is getting ready for the 20th Seniors’ Dinner on December 5. The dinner started 22 years ago (two years did not have dinners) and has become one of the most anticipated events during the Christmas season.

    On December 5, Drumheller Valley Secondary School (DVSS) will host the 20th Seniors’ Dinner in the school gymnasium. The dinner caters to hundreds of seniors and dignitaries each year. The doors open at 11:30 a.m.
    “Twenty years is a significant amount of time. It’s about 8,000 meals over the years,” said DVSS principal Curtis LaPierre. “We’ll have every student in the school this year participating in the dinner. Normally we have around 200, but this year it’ll be 400.”
    Each year, students from the Foods class prepare the meal, while the remainder of the students wait on the guests, provide escorts, and provide entertainment.
    It’s hard to imagine Christmas in Drumheller without the dinner, but 22 years ago it was unheard of.
    “It is interesting, because the original idea stemmed from the student’s reputation in the community. The students decided to look at how they could change that perception and give back. We decided to show off the school and what young people can do, so we came up with the idea to invite seniors to come for a Christmas dinner,” said former Drumheller Composite High School (DCHS) principal Tom  Zariski. “I got the original idea from a school in Edmonton that took some Christmas baking to seniors lodges. I thought it’d be great to have seniors come here instead.”
    The first dinner was held in the old DCHS cafeteria and the school wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
    “We had it in the old cafeteria, which seated about 125 people. We advertised and got the word out, but we didn’t know what to expect. Lo and behold, we got about 135 or so seniors at the dinner,” said Zariski.
    From there, the dinner kept growing. The following year they moved to the Junior High lunch and games room, which seated roughly 250 people. Instead, they had 275 guests for dinner.
    “After we realized the only space that was big enough was the gym, which could hold about 400 people. We’ve been in there ever since,” said Zariski. “Over the years, we’ve incorporate all sorts of entertainment, like the band and choir. It’s really become a school event. It’s been a great thing for the community and school.”
    One thing that has changed little is the menu.
    “There are a few things I do not tamper with or there will be a revolt. They expect the sticky date pudding, turkey, cranberry sauce. We might take a look at roast beef this year and I might play with the appetizer, but I’m not sure yet,” said LaPierre.
    Over the years the dinner has only been missed twice, the most recent being when DVSS was being renovated and the school was being run out of the Central School building.
    The dinner has also been recognized throughout the province.
    “It’s won a couple awards over the years. We won the Alberta Teacher’s Association School-Community Relations Award a provincial Seniors Service Award, which is given to someone or an organization who does something special for seniors. They’re open to the whole province and the school won them, which is pretty special,” said Zariski. “I think some other schools in the province have tried the same idea, based on what we’ve done.”
    However, the most important recognition comes from the seniors themselves.
“We’ve had amazing stories. One year, I was standing by the exit when I felt a tug on my sleeve, there was a lady who told me she didn’t know young people could be so nice. Some have said this is basically their Christmas, because they don’t have family or friends nearby,” said Zariski.
    For LaPierre, the Seniors’ Dinner is one of many things that helps define the school and students.
    “We have things in the school that become a part of our culture. We try to instill in our students citizenship and these events give students the opportunity to give of themselves and receive the rewards of that. It really sets the tone of the entire school,” said LaPierre. “It is one of the things that defines us as a school community.”

    The Drumheller Dragons are building momentum following a big 6-3 win over the Sherwood Park Crusaders on Saturday, November 23.
    The Dragons got off to an early lead with a great charge by Alex Bechtold, who passed to Ethan James, who scored the first goal of the night at 3:33 in the first period. Jarrell Pinchuk increased the Dragons’ lead to 2-0 several minutes later.

Ethan James, right, scored the Dragons first goal of the night in their 6-3 win over the Sherwood Park Crusaders. The Dragons will be looking to keep their winning streak alive this weekend on the road versus Lloydminster. They return home on December 7 and 8 to fac ethe Olds Grizzlys and Fort McMurray Oil Barons.

    The Dragons were in control most of the first, but gave a little ground during the later half of the period. The Crusaders took advantage of a powerplay opportunity after Dakota Zaharichuk was given two minutes for roughing.
    In the second period the Dragons dominated, scoring three more goals. Zaharichuk, Christopher Rauckman, and Mitchell Cook rocketed the Dragons to a 5-1 lead.
    “The first 10 minutes we played well, but then I thought Sherwood Park outplayed us the last 10 minutes of the period. After that, I think we played a very good second period,” said head coach and general manager Brian Curran.
    “We did a lot of good things. Our goaltending and powerplay were strong, and I think our penalty kill, even though they got scored on, did a great job.”
    Rauckman would give the Dragons a huge boost with a shorthanded goal at 4:26 in the third period. The Crusaders did manage to make some headway in the final 10 minutes of the game, adding two more goals, but it wasn’t enough.
    “It was one of our better games. We needed to see that, especially at home,” said Curran.
    The win gives the Dragons 32 points. They are currently in third place of the AJHL Southern Divison and one point behind the Okotoks Oilers.
    The Dragons, along with the rest of the AJHL have some tough decisions ahead. By December 1, all teams are required to have a maximum of 23 players. The Dragons will have to cut a few players from their roster.
    “By December 1, we have to be down to 23 players,” said Curran. “You have to watch chemistry and you can’t mess it up. We have enough that we can play four strong lines. I don’t think we’re going to do much up front, but with the injuries on our defence, we’re going to have to make some big decisions.”
    The Dragons are in action again this weekend. They head on the road to face Lloydminster on Friday. Their next home game isn’t until December 7 against the Olds Grizzlys.